The Art of Gratitude opens Wednesday, Nov. 4, and SEASONS CHANGE: Spoken Word + Poetry featuring Elaine Hill takes the stage Thursday, Nov. 5
This week, the Iredell Arts Council is filling the Old Jail with thankfulness, two nights in a row. On Wednesday, we open The Art of Gratitude, a community exhibit of visual art and poetry. On Thursday, we turn the lights down and the mic on for SEASONS CHANGE: Spoken Word + Poetry, with featured poet Elaine Hill. Come for one night, or better yet, come for both.
Wednesday, Nov. 4: The Art of Gratitude
When: Wednesday, November 4, 5:30–7:00 PM
Where: Iredell Arts Council (The Old Jail), 203 S. Meeting St., Statesville
The Art of Gratitude is part of our 2026 Artist Series, presented in partnership with the Center for Creative Theology. Gratitude doesn't stay inside the lines, so we didn't ask it to. This fall, we put out an open call inviting poets, musicians and visual artists to share their own expressions and experiences of gratitude, and our community answered in a big way.
We received about 40 submissions this year, our biggest response yet. The walls of the Old Jail will hold mosaic, painting, pastel, photography, ink, glass and clay, alongside poetry and pieces that pair the two.
Don't miss the poetry moment. Around 5:45 PM, poet and host Derick Lee will lead a short set of readings, about ten minutes, with a poem each from two of the show's poets. It's a sweet little preview of Thursday night, so plan to arrive early and grab a spot near the front.
Thursday, Nov. 5: SEASONS CHANGE Spoken Word + Poetry, featuring Elaine Hill
When: Thursday, November 5, 7:30–9:30 PM
Where: Iredell Arts Council (The Old Jail), 203 S. Meeting St., Statesville
Cost: Free
Our SEASONS CHANGE series closes out its 2026 season with a gratitude-themed evening of storytelling. Hosted by Derick Lee, the night brings together performing artists and writers from Statesville and the surrounding area, including poets from the Art of Gratitude open call.
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Meet our featured poet: Elaine Hill
Elaine Hill is a regionally acclaimed poet, author and teacher based in the Charlotte area. Her spoken word is honest and often vulnerable, centered on emotional awareness, mental health and the experiences of women, and it has a way of making a room both think and feel. Elaine also leads writing workshops and art-and-literature discussion groups that use creativity to bring people together around hard conversations.
This is a homecoming of sorts. Elaine has graced the IAC stage before, as part of our Spoken Word Spotlight series, and we're thrilled to welcome her back as the featured voice of our gratitude night.
Plan your week of gratitude
Wednesday, 5:30 PM: Walk the Art of Gratitude exhibit and meet the artists.
Wednesday, around 5:45 PM: Catch the short poetry readings with Derick Lee.
Thursday, 7:30 PM: Settle in for SEASONS CHANGE with featured poet Elaine Hill (Eventbrite RSVP or waitlist required).
We're deeply grateful to every artist and poet who shared their work, to Derick Lee and Sue and Steve Shoemaker with the Center for Creative Theology for partnering with us. Most of all, we're grateful for you, the community that keeps IAC full of creativity.
Find event details on our calendar at iredellartscouncil.com/calendar-of-events, and follow along on Instagram at @IredellArtsCouncil. We'll see you this week!
